Wednesday, June 29, 2005

Pools of Prosperity

Shuffling into the Prairie Village pool complex for the first time on Memorial Day weekend was like entering Valhalla.

Since when did public pools become oceans of opulence? No wonder my property taxes are so high.

There are many ways to get wet. Laps are swum in an Olympic-sized pool. Nearby, floating females raft in the adult-only pool. Kids wallow in an enormous lagoon with a fifteen-foot shower in one corner. The diapered set and their keepers- babysitters and nannies may outnumber moms- have their own baby puddle. Across the complex, two water slides dump into a turbulent vortex, while spirited divers splash into their own pool.

Adjacent tennis courts and skateboard park complete the scene. Boy, it's really nice. And the water's always just right. I ventured to the Leawood pool (water slide, pictured) for the first time today and discovered that it's just as elaborate.

I suppose years of living in P.V., KS, where even the grocery stores are pristine, have acclimated me to its absurd abundance. But it took these public pleasure palaces to remind me that I'm truly living at the deep end.